Apparatus for making bottle caps or stoppers.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

v J. H. RESE. APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOTTLE G'APS 0R STOPPERS. A

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w A W PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.-

J. H. RESE. APPARATUS FOR MAKING BOTTLE GAPS 0R STOPPERS.

APPLICATION FILED 8EPT.19, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[NVENTOR Afforuey A H. a m

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I i I i I I w I I "kl ll WITNESS JOHN H. RESE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING-BOTTLE CAPS OR STOPPER S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Application filed September 19, 1907. Serial No. 393,719.

ington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Making Bottle Caps or Stoppers,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for producing closures, caps or stoppers for bottles, jars and the like, the object of the invention being particularly to produce apparatus for the rapid and economical manufacture of pa er stoppers for milk bottles.

11 the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view 0 oneof the stoppers produced by. the apparatus herein illustrated and described. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are diagrams illustrating the method of cutting out stoppers like that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a hand die or cutter for making the stop ers. Fig. 6 is an end view of a power mac ine embodying my invention. Fi 7 is a vertical section on the line VII VI I. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view enlarged of a preferred form of die or cutter adapted to be used in a power machine. Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating in side elevation, a mechanism for producing stoppers, embodying my invention. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the die or cutter represented in Fig. 8, the plane on which the secilzrion is taken being at right angles to that of In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a stopper or closure produced by a machine or device embodying my invention. Such an article I have described and claimed in my application Number 393,720 filed September 19th 1907 It is represented as a whole by A, and comprises a body portion a which is in the form of a circular disk having extending from its edge a tab 0/. The peripheral edge I) of the stopper is circular except for the break that occurs where the tab joins the body. The opposite edges 0 c of the tab are curved, each curve being reversed as compared with the curve of the edge I) and flowing or springing therefrom. The radii of the curves 1), c and c are of equal length. A stopper such as described may be produced by the use of a cutting tool of exceedingly simple construction, such as represented in Fig. 5. 2 indicates the head of the die or cutter carried by a stem 3 of suitable size and shape. The

head is provided with a circular cuttin edge 4, the outer face 4 of which is preferab y cylindrical, while the inner face 4 is inclined or beveled, as indicated in Figs. 8 and 10. This shaping of the cutting edge of the die results in producing a slight bevel or curve along the seating edge of the. closure or stopper cut thereby, which is desirable, and also allows a plurality of dies being so arranged that they may cut close one to the other. There is a ap 5 in the cutting edge of the die the widt of which is equal to the radius of the curve I), and the distance between the points where the two curves 0 c, bounding the tab, spring from the edge, 6, of the body.

The tool or die just described being of very simple construction may be out without the use of complicated mechanism and yet by it may be produced the article shown in Fig. 1 havin the peculiar contour there delineated. I will riefly describe how this may be done supposing a sin le hand die like that shown in Fig. 5 1s emp oyed.

In Fig. 2 is represented the first cut made by the tool, it being in shape a broken circle.

In Fig. 3 I have indicated the second cut in its relation to the first. It will be observed that the two cuts join at the point z which is located at one end of the break in the first-formed out.

In Fi 4 X and Y indicate respectively the thir and fourth cuts made by the die. The third cut joins the first at the point y which is located at the end of the break in the first cut opposite the point z; and joins the second cut at the point 10, which is located at one end of the break in the second cut. It will be observed that the second and third cuts not only sever the body portions of two disks, but also complete the formation of the tab of the disk or stop er, the bod of which was produced by the rst cut, an that the third and fourth cuts complete the tab of the disk, the body of which was produced by the second out. method of cutting out the stoppers may be carried on indefinitely, and it is apparent from the diagram just referred to that when the tool is thus used there is very little waste of the stock material.

The die may be constructed to score or indent the-material of the stopper along the This ' or preferredconstruction.

turned up when inserted into a bottle neck. For this purpose a scoring or indenting ridge 6 is provided across the gap 5, such ridge being, of course, lower than the cutting ed e 2. I

t is one of the objects of my invention to produce a machine that will carry cutters embodying the features of the die already described, and will continuously, accurately and quickly produce cuts in the stock materialin the relations to each that have been having a supporting shaft or gudgeons 8, the

latter being mounted in bearings 9 supported in frame-pieces 1010. 1 1 represents a cylinder opposed to the cylinder 7 and also suitably mountedin the frame. The manner of mounting these cylinders, and the construction of the frame parts, bearings, adjusting devices, springs for holding the rolls together, etc. need not be illustrated or described in detail herein, as they may be of any usual In the roll 7 are formed a series of recesses adapted to receive the stems 3 of the cutting dies. The dies are arranged as indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 in close proximity to each other and so that they will produce cuts from the stock material upon which they act as indicatedin Fig. 4. The

die or abutment upon which the sheet ofmaterial rests when the cutting dies are acting thereon, consists of the roller 11 which is of true cylindrical form and is composed of some relatively soft substance such as copper, brass or fiber so as not'to injure the cutting edges of the dies, should they come in contact therewith.

In order to prevent the sto pers that are cut by the dies from sticking 1n the latter, I prefer to provide each die with an automatically-acting ejector which may be of the form and construction indicated in Fig. 8. As there illustrated the stem of each die is formed with a longitudinal central re cess 12, into which extends the stem 13 of a disk-shaped ejecting head or plunger 14 that lies in the cavity formed by the cutting edge 4. A spring 15 is seated in the cavity 12 and acts to force the ejector outward so that the face of the lunger 14 normally stands about flush witfi the-cutting edge 4. Stop iins 16 moving in'suitable ways 17 former in the inner wall of the stem 3 serve to direct and limit the movements of the plunger or ejector. 18 indicates a screw by which the cutting die may be secured to the carrying cylinder 7. It will be apparent that if a sheet of cardboard or paper be passed between the rolls, they being in rotation and held toward each other with sufficient force, the dies will successively act upon and cut the paper and the plungel's will be forced'inward during the cutting operations. As soon, however, as a die passes from the engagement with or in opposition to the abutment roller 11, the spring 15 forces the ejector outward and the cut stopper is discharged.

In Fig. 9, I have represented an automatic apparatus for making milk bottle stoppers.

.Referring to this view, 19 represents a shaft or beam upon which is mounted the roll of paper 50 from which the stoppers are produced. 20, 20 indicate feed rolls, 21, printing mechanism which may print upon one or both sides of the paper, and 22, coating apparatus for applying paraffin or other suitable material to the paper to render it moisture proof. These parts-the feeding mech anism, the printing apparatus, and the coating apparatus, may be of any usual or preferred construction, and I have for that reason indicated them diagrammatically only. 23, 23 represent guides for supporting ,and directing the paper from one part of the mechanism to another. After the paper has been printed and coated, it passes to the cutting apparatus, which may be a machine such as represent-ed in Fig. 6. The stoppers or caps as they are produced are received upon an inclined delivery board 21 whence they ass to suitable conveying mechanism in icated at 25. In order to prevent the stoppers or scraps of paper from adhering to the cutting dies I employ a, brush 26 having stiff bristles which is so mounted that it acts upon the cutting (lies, as indicated in Fig. 8. The brush 26 may be supplemented by an air blast issuing from a ipe or nozzle located as at 27. These latter adjuncts may be employed or not 'as circumstances may require.

I prefer that the ways in which more the stop pins 16, should be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 10, that is to say, each way is substantially U-shaped, having two legs, 17 and 17', connected at their inner ends by a. cross channel or way. Thc leg 17 of the way or guide is open at its outer end, while that at 17 is closed, preferably by a screw 30. In putting the plunger in place the pins 16 are caused to enter the legs 17 of the guides, and are moved down to the cross passages. The plunger is then slightly turned carrying the pins into the legs 17 of the guide, when the lunger may be released and the spring 15 a lowed to force it out. The screws serve to confine the pins within the slots or ways 17, and being adjustable, may be employed to regulate the position which the plunger will normally occupy under the influence of the s ring 15.

I 0 not wish to be confined to the particular showing of my invention made in the drawings hereof, as it is evident that other means for mounting and operating the dies than what is shown may be employed, as for instance, a reciprocating carrier for the cutters instead ofa rotary one.

What I claim is 1. A cutter or die for producing tabbed stoppers or closures, having a circular cutting edge in which is formed a gap or blank space of a length corresponding with the radius of the circle of the cutting edge, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for cutting flat closures or stoppers, a holder or carrier and a plurality of cutters or dies mounted therein, each die havin a circular cutting edge in which is forme a gap or blank space, the dies being arranged so that the cut formed by one touches tangentially the cuts formed by adjacent dies, and the gap in the cutting edge of each die being situated opposite to the cutting edge of two adjacent dies.

3. In a machine for cutting thin sto pers or closures, the combination of a cylin rical carrier, a plurality of cutting dies mounted therein, the dies being set close to each other, as described, and each having a circular cutting edge having formed therein a blank or gap equal in length to the radius of the circle of the cutting edge, and a circular abutment against which the dies act, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for cutting closures or stoppers, the combination of a carrier, a plurahty of cutting dies mounted therein, each die having a circular cutting edge in which is formed a gap or blank space, the dies bein set close to each other so that the cut forme by one touches the cut formed by adjacent dies, and the cutting rim or edge of each die being beveted on its inner side and straight on its outer side, substantially as set forth.

5 A cutting die for making closures or stoppers comprising a sharp cutting rim and a ho low stem, in the inner wall of which latter is formed a guiding groove of substan tially U-shape, the legs being openat their outer ends and one of them screw-threaded, in combination with an ejector arranged within the cutting rim and having a shank or stem that enters the hollow stem of the cutting die, and rovided with a pin adapted to enter the sai guiding groove, a spring for, forcin the ejector outward, and a screw arrange to be inserted into the screw-threaded leg of the guiding groove and by its adjustment to limit the position to which the plunger is moved outward by the spring, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. RESE. Witnesses:

G120. B. Prr'rs, L. O. BRADY. 

